Why Virtualize?

Virtualization is being thrown at us from all directions. All the major vendors are moving into this arena.

Cost savings, server consolidation, and infrastructure maximize are the main reasons organizations are choosing virtualization.

Just in case you need a refresher, a virtual machine is akin to a fully functioning computer or server where you can install an operating system of your choice, with network configuration and a full suite of software.

The catch is the operating system is virtual and resides an existing server/computer. These types of configurations allow you to save money, consolidate servers, and maximize your infrastructure.

Since everyone I know who is interested in virtualization is talking about these three benefits, let's explore them in greater detail:

Saving Money

If you talk to any CTO in any company and tell him or her you can save them "X" number of dollars by complimenting the network infrastructure with virtualization, you will have an willing audience.

How you say? Here's a good example: You just recently purchased five licenses of Windows 2003 for five servers about to implemented into your infrastructure. This would roughly cost you $10,000 to $15,000 in licensing fees.

What if I told you I could give you the same infrastructure for $2,000 to $5,000? How? By simply buying one license of Windows Server 2003 R2, you get up to four virtual instances free-of-charge. Simply download any virtualization software you desire and install four more virtual operating systems for free.

Consolidating Servers

Hosting facilities and corporate server rooms are busting at the seams. It seems every vendor has some unique software that requires a stand-alone server. In the dot-com era this might have worked, but today we are faced with increasing energy costs to power these money-sucking machines.

Server rooms are the energy vampires of technology's new millennium. How will enterprises face this increasing cost head on? Virtualization, of course.

The next time your IT cronies are hanging out by the water cooler and start talking about virtualization, what they are really discussing is reduced costs, consolidated servers and maximized infrastructure.

The first, and simple, step toward smart consolidation is to inventory your software and servers to see how many servers are simply just running one application  maybe even a legacy application. With virtualization, you will likely be able to consolidate 20 servers down to five.

Maximize Utilization

Maximizing utilization of servers and consolidation of servers seem to go hand-in-hand. You cannot do one without the other. When servers are consolidated, so is utilization.

As a consultant working deep in the trenches, I can't tell you how many times I've seen a huge Quad processor server running a minuscule app, and the utilization of the server is not even registering.

That same box, if utilized to its potential, could host three-to-five virtual instances. It is not uncommon these days to gather up all the legacy applications and place them on one server with several virtual instances.

By properly utilizing your servers with virtualization, you will reduce costs and consolidate servers in your environment.

So the next time your IT cronies are hanging out by the water cooler and start talking about virtualization, what they are really discussing is reduced costs, consolidated servers, and maximized infrastructure.